Improvement in tidal-valves for draining lands



NITED Sintes .arent trice.

E. r. BAINBRIDGE, or LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

Specifica-tion forming part of Letters Patent No. 39,624, dated August 25, EFS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, E. T. BAINBRIDGE, of the city of Louisville, county of J eti'erson, and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tidal-Valves, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specilication, and in which- Figure l represents an isometric view ofthe tidal-valve and seat embracing my invention; Fig. 2, an isometric cross-section at a plane through the line y y of Fig. l, and Fig. 3 an isometric longitudinal section at a plane through a: a: x of Fig. 1.

The growing value and vast importance of the marsh-lands on a portion of our seaboardespecially those near large cities-as well as the swamp-lands upon our numerous rivers, render a perfect system of drainage one of the most to be desired achievements of the present day. Those modes of drainage now used on tide-waters all require more manual toil or the employment of more expensive machinery than can be made remunerative to individual enterprise by the land redeemed, in consequence of which such lands are waste or they are only effectively redeemed by government or by joint-stock associations.

Now, it is the object of my invention to bring the redemption of salt marshes situated on tidewaters or swamplands situated on the rivers within the reach of all individuals by the use of my simple, cheap, and automatic valve and its seat; and to this end my invention consists inv the combination of a iiume with a vertical valve hinged at the top, and both so arranged that water shall be perfectlyv excluded from entrance upon the land when the tide is iiowing, and the water from the land shall always have a free exit when the tide ebbs.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and-use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

I construct my iiume in the form of a box of the length required, to reach from side to 'side of the dike on the Water-front of the land to be drained. At each end of the flume, and

and as near each other as desired for strength to resist the pressure of the Walls of the dike, I place perpendieularly and fasten securely braces, reaching from the top of the iiume to a sufficient length below its bottom to forml stakes or piles, pointed, so that when the ume is in place these stakes will, together with the an gularly-arran ged wings,renderit immovable by the action of thetides or waves. The top of the flume may be strengthened by cross-beams or it may be entirely covered, and thus constitute a roadway on a level with the top of the dike. The bottom of theume may be of plank suitably fastened to constitute a water-tight joint. I now constructa box of the exact dimensions on its outside of the internal dimensions of the flume, so thatl when fixed in its placein the end of the flume exposed to the land it shall fit so neatly as to constitute, if possible, a perfectly water-tight joint over the bottom and sides of the Hume. This internal frame or box may extend into the flume about onefourth of the length of the latter. I cut a rectangular opening in the back of the interior box, about six inches from its'bottom, leaving a flange of two or more inches at each side of the opening, as shown in the drawings, beneath that portion of the isometric view broken away. This opening leaves a clear space through the iiume to permit the iiow of the drainagewater from the land; and, as the valve is hinged to the back of the box over the opening, the iiange around the opening constitutes a seat for the valve, and makes a water-tight joint when the valve ispressed against its seat by the tideawater.V The valve is hinged vertically to the back of the box, above the top of the opening, so that the tidewater will close it, and so that it will vibrate in the direction of the greatest pressure. 0f course, when the tide ebbs, the drainage-water will open the valve and escape through the flume. Attimes it may be necessary to place a flume ina position where the currents may tend to carry the drift into the flume and 'choke or obstruct the valvefrom working. This inconvenience may in my improved fiume easily be obviated by simply fastening asuitable grating over each end of the iiume; or slats or racks, suitably secured, will effect the same result-that is to say, they will arrest the drift, but permit the Water to flow.

The operation is apparent. When the land to be reclaimed is surrounded with a dike of suitable height and strength to exclude the tide-Water, place as many of my tlumes, with their valves arranged as described, in the dike, at suitable distances apart to appel-tion the area of the openings to the quantity of Water to loe drawn off at ebb-tide. Now, when the tide flows in a volume larger than the drainage-Water, its greater pressure will close the valve and Wholly exclude the tide-Water; but when the tide ebhs to a point Where the drainage-Water gives the strongest pressure the v valve Will open and the drainage-Water oiv continuously until the return of the tide, and thus the land surrounded by the dike will be automatically reclaimed.

I am aware that iumes have been used with a valve projectin from the front, to be oated by the tide, asin the patent of E. W. Vandozeu of January 27, 1863; but this I do not claim.

What I do clairn as my invention, and desire to have secured by Letters Patent of the United States, is

The combination of the flume with the valve, constructed, arranged, and operating substantially in the manner described, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

E. T. BAINBRIDGE. 

